Trump hopes to jail U.S. citizens abroad. And, retail sales jump ahead of tariffs

Good morning. You're reading the Up First newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day.

Today's top stories

President Trump says his administration is exploring ways to detain U.S. citizens involved in criminal activity and send them to prisons in El Salvador. Some legal experts have informed NPR that they fear the White House is preparing to move ahead with that plan even though jailing Americans overseas is considered unconstitutional.

U.S. President Donald Trump met with President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador in the Oval Office of the White House April 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump and Bukele are exploring a proposal to send American citizens to be held in Salvadorean prisons, a move critics describe as dangerous and unconstitutional. Win McNamee/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption

Win McNamee/Getty Images

• 🎧 The White House says Trump has brought up locking up Americans abroad in public and in private meetings, NPR's Brian Mann tells Up First. As far back as February, Trump said he would "do it in a heartbeat" if a legal way was found. On Monday, with the president of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, Trump said "home growns are next," referring to U.S. citizens, and suggested El Salvador build more prisons to house Americans. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi have said the plan would only include violent criminals. David Bier at the libertarian CATO Institute raised a concern that Trump could move forward with the action without providing a lot of clarity, even if courts and judges object.

U.S. District Judge James Boasberg ruled yesterday that the Trump administration "demonstrated willful disregard" for a court order and is likely in criminal contempt. Boasberg stated that the government failed to comply with his orders last month to turn around two planes carrying Venezuelan migrants to a prison in El Salvador. On March 15, Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to quickly deport alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua without hearings. The same day, dozens of men were loaded onto two planes, and the ACLU, after being made aware, sued. That evening, during an emergency hearing, is when Boasberg made his orders for the planes to be returned.

• 🎧 Boasberg gave the government two options for next steps, NPR's Adrian Florido says. It can reassert custody of the men it deported so they can challenge their deportations, or if not, the judge wants the names of the specific government officials who ignored his order. Boasberg said he'll force them to testify, and if he has to, he'll appoint a lawyer to criminally prosecute them for contempt. The Justice Department called the ruling a "judicial power grab" and has appealed.
• ➡️ In the latest episode of Throughline, the team discusses the origins of the Alien Enemies Act, how presidents have used it before, and what that tells us about the future.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average tumbled nearly 700 points yesterday. However, Americans' feeling gloomier about the economy hasn't stopped people from spending money. Retail sales jumped sharply last month as people raced to buy stuff ahead of Trump's steep new tariffs kicking in.

• 🎧 If people splurged last month to get ahead of the tariffs, we'll likely see a payback with reduced spending in the coming months, NPR's Scott Horsley says. Gene Seroka, who heads the Port of Los Angeles, is projecting at least a 10% drop in incoming cargo in the second half of the year. Before the tariffs, the U.S. was seeing some progress on prices and core inflation last month was the lowest it's been in four years.

Life Advice

Expand your reading horizons by thinking about what types of books you're reading. Jackie Lay/NPR hide caption

toggle caption

Jackie Lay/NPR

Expand your reading horizons by thinking about what types of books you're reading.

Jackie Lay/NPR

A great poem can help you process feelings of sadness, anger, or fear, and it can also bring joy. However, connecting with these emotions may be more challenging if you haven't engaged with poetry in some time. In honor of National Poetry Month, here are some tips shared by poets with Life Kit to help you establish a meaningful connection with this art form.

• 📚 You shouldn't approach poetry like it's school. Remember, there's no quiz or essay you have to write about it after.
• 📚 Don't put pressure on yourself to unlock the meaning behind the poem. Instead, ask yourself how you feel or what your overall impression of the work is.
• 📚 Poetry is an oral art. Try reading it out loud in different ways, including savoring every word and every syllable.
• 📚 If the poem doesn't offer visuals, try visualizing it in your mind. You can also doodle images that stick out in your head while reading.

For more guidance on how to read poetry like a poet, listen to this episode of NPR's Life Kit. Subscribe to the Life Kit newsletter for expert advice on love, money, relationships and more.

Picture show

Raluca collects butterflies for the Worldwide Painted Lady Migration Project. As drought scorches Europe, Painted Lady butterflies find blooming flowers in the moist air near melting glaciers in Switzerland. Lucas Foglia/Fredericks & Freiser Gallery hide caption

toggle caption

Lucas Foglia/Fredericks & Freiser Gallery

Over millions of years, countless painted lady butterflies have migrated thousands of miles across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. For the first time, an international team of scientists known as the Worldwide Painted Lady Migration Project has traced their migration route. Over the past decade, the team has identified 10 generations of butterflies during their annual migration cycle. From 2021 to 2024, photographer Lucas Foglia accompanied the scientists on their journey across continents, capturing images of the researchers and the butterflies they were studying. This journey is also documented in Foglia's book, Constant Bloom.

3 things to know before you go

Buford, an Anatolian Pyrenees, found 2-year-old Boden Allen nearly seven miles from the boy's home. Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office hide caption

toggle caption

Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office

1. In Arizona, a rancher's dog named Buford is being hailed as a hero for rescuing a 2-year-old boy who wandered nearly 7 miles from home and spent the night in the desert.
2. ESPN announced it will team up with the Savannah Bananas to broadcast 10 games later this year, bringing the team's on-field antics to a national TV audience. The team has gained global appeal for its brand of baseball known as Banana Ball. (via GPB)
3. The Food and Drug Administration and Novo Nordisk, maker of Ozempic, warn that "several hundred units" of the drug made it onto the market outside the company's approved supply chain.

This newsletter was edited by Yvonne Dennis.